A Decline at the Met is a Good Thing !

Yes it's true

According to the Wall Street Journal the average age of the audience at the Metropolitan Opera has declined. While printed reports and on line reports differ in the magnitude, the direction remains the same.

To what do they own this acheivement?

The singers have always been great.
Carmen is still Carmen and the Ring is still the Ring.

Yet something has changed.

Could it be updating presentations to be more visually engaging, with better story telling and a few unexpected operas (last seasons "the Nose" comes to mind).

Or perhaps its the fact that 14,000 GOOD seats are sold on rush at $25 due to a grant?

Or is it the over all re-make and re brand of Lincoln Center?  No longer a square of stodgy art, but a vital fun gathering place for all ages with a kick-ass fountain?

Or perhaps the digital age has allowed sampling of opera to build engagement among a younger audience on some place other then the radio.

Or even the 7:30 start time, which makes for an easier attendance for working people.

Well the answer is yes yes yes yes yes and yes.

Sailing the marketing ship is not just hoisting an advertising sail and hoping for a good wind. More often then not it's getting all the oars to pull together in a new direction at the right time. In this case the credit belongs to Peter Gelb

So there's the question Chorus Nation. Who is setting your ship's direction, and are all the oars pulling the same way?